Tagged: San Diego Padres
Did Atlanta Salvage This Off season?
Did the Braves salvage this off season? To be honest, I don’t think they did. When you look back at what could have been you can picture an Atlanta Braves team with a dominating pitching staff and a powerful offense. Instead Atlanta has an above average pitching staff and a somewhat weak offense. What could have been?
I think this all goes back to the Jake Peavy rumors. Both sides managed that whole deal horribly. Sure, Kevin Towers may have been asking a little much, but Frank Wren pulled out because of an extremely minor detail. The Padres wanted Jeff Locke to be included and Frank Wren didn’t want to add him. If you do your research you will see that Jeff Locke is a pitcher in A ball that can been called “wild.” The kid can hardly find the strike zone and you aren’t going to add him into a deal to bring in one of the best pitchers in baseball? I think that is a joke.
By not making that trade Wren is showing he is not willing to give talent to get talent. The best players aren’t going to come free. You have to give up quality to get quality in return. The Braves would have given up potential All-Star Yunel Escobar, but they could have turned around and signed Rafael Furcal or Orlando Cabrera to replace him.
If Atlanta brings in Jake Peavy they could make a serious run at A.J. Burnett. Already having a star on the team makes a difference when trying to lure a big time free agent. Another problem was the contract offer. Atlanta basically came up a few million short of New York’s offer. Atlanta can’t put up a few more million to bring in a second ace? That is ridiculous. If you want the big time players you have to put up big time money. It really is that simple. With Peavy and Burnett at the front of the rotation they would be tough to beat in any series.
Instead of having two All-Star aces at the front of the rotation the Braves have Derek Lowe and Javier Vazquez. Atlanta ran themselves into a corner and ended up over paying for Derek Lowe. The Mets weren’t going any higher on their offer, the Braves flat out over payed. Vazquez is an innings eater but he is getting payed over $11MM. If a team is paying a pitcher over $10MM he better be an All-Star caliber pitcher. Vazquez is not that. Sorry, but it’s the truth.
Instead of trading for Javier Vazquez Atlanta could have traded for Jermaine Dye. He would have been the power bat they needed at a reasonable price. Dye is getting payed just under $10MM and he is going to give you 30-35 home runs and drive in over 100 runs. That is a bargain if you ask me. Frank Wren is not willing to spend money unless he has his back against the wall. After John Smoltz left he knew he needed to bring in Lowe, at any cost.
Smoltz deserved to be brought back just like Tom Glavine deserves to be brought back. I’m not saying that Wren is a bad GM because he is not. But any Braves fan that says Schuerholz would have done better is not looking into this deep enough. John Schuerholz has just as much influence on the Braves has Wren does, they are both to blame. Wren is not a bad GM, this whole off season was just mismanaged. You cannot be afraid to take risks. Peavy and Burnett are both risks, but their rewards are so great you have to take the chance. You have to in order to be successful.
Now you have to take a look at the Rafael Furcal deal. Why were the Braves trying to bring him in anyway? The Padres deal for Peavy was dead and I doubt Furcal would have been happy playing second. Why trade Kelly Johnson anyway? He is a solid player that has made great strides after he used to play left field. I know, he played shortstop for a long time. But shortstop and second base are different positions. Get over it. Changing positions is not easy at all.
Then the Braves come out and say they won’t work with Furcal’s agency anymore. Peter Moylan happens to be represented by that agency and he is a very good player. Atlanta needs Moylan to come back and be solid in the bullpen for them to be successful. That deal also goes back to the Braves being cheap and not willing to outbid anyone. The times of home town discounts and taking less money to play for your favorite team are just about over. It comes down to money.
I don’t think the Braves salvaged this off season as they should be a lot better. They made strides in the right direction but only when they had their backs against the wall. They were reluctant to spend money and then over payed when they didn’t need to. It just goes to show you that taking risks and managing a team are underrated aspects of the game.
Sincerely,
~Ben
Whats Next?
What is next for the Atlanta Braves? That is the question of the day. They let a fan favorite in John Smoltz pack up and head to Boston. They lost out on Jake Peavy, A.J. Burnett and finally Rafael Furcal.
Now they are after Japanese pitcher Kenshin Kawakami. Here is the scouting report for everyone. His fastball tops out in the low 90’s and he mixes in a slow curve with a cutter. I haven’t heard of any crazy sounding pitches like the gyro ball that Daisuke Matsuzaka has. He sounds like a normal pitcher to me. He doesn’t have the typical deceptive delivery that is normally seen from Japanese pitchers, this guy just relies on his natural stuff. That could be good, then again, it could be bad.
Heard of that Kei Igawa guy? That turned out great didn’t it? (Laughs to self)
Japanese players can be really good like Matsuzaka, or they can be a complete bust like Igawa. I’m hoping he isn’t the later if he signs with the Braves. Baltimore however is also interested so don’t get your hopes up Braves fans. The Orioles have already signed Koji Uehara who is also a Japanese pitcher. Playing with another Japanese player may sway Kawakami’s decision to the Orioles. The Braves are apparently really close, but it ain’t over till the fat lady sings.
The other pitcher Atlanta is going hard after is that Derek Lowe guy. I hear he isn’t bad either. That’s just what I heard though. Atlanta is apparently getting ready to propose an offer, but how do we know Lowe won’t turn around and use that as leverage for the Mets? (cough, cough Rafael Furcal, cough.)
Signing Lowe would be HUGE for the Braves. They would fill a need while stealing him away from those darn Metropolitans. They have made major changes, especially in the bullpen. They are already making me sweat with J.J. Putz and Francisco Rodriguez in the 8th and 9th innings.
The Braves can also have that luxury in the bullpen with Mike Gonzalez, Peter Moylan, and Rafael Soriano. If that darn Soriano would just stop having mysterious injuries that won’t allow him to pitch but are invisible to MRI’s. He has been leaving the team doctors puzzled and the Braves’ fans pissed. Oh so convenient that right after you sign an extension you “get hurt.” Prove it bud and you can sit all you want. Ask Mike Hampton, he did it.
Maybe Atlanta can pull some strings and pry Xavier Nady away from the Yankees for less than they want. Fill a team need and make the Yankees worse, sounds like a deal to me. I doubt the Braves will get him as I have heard New York wants some top of the line prospects for him. Every Braves fan already knows Frank Wren won’t dare trade a prospect that may or may not suck. We learned the hard way in the Jake Peavy deal.
By the way, congratulations to Florida on winning the BCS National championship game and being voted the #1 team this year. Utah deserved both of those and got neither but whatever. That’s sports politics for ya.
Have a nice day,
~Ben
Hot Stove Happenings
Mark Teixeira ~ Boston is out of the running, Baltimore, Los Angeles, and Washington are still in the hunt. I see the Angels coming out on top for Teixeira. Baltimore and Washington aren’t anywhere near winning anytime soon. I think he would take a little less money and play for a good team.
Greg Norton ~ signed a one-year contract worth $800K to remain with the Braves. Good switch-hitting, pinch hitter. Good signing.
Juan Rivera ~ has agreed to a three-year deal worth $12.75MM to stay with the Angels. Good signing if he can keep up his production. Maybe in case they can’t sign Tex?
Padres ~ signed Jody Gerut to a one-year deal for $1.1775MM. Odd signing to me. Aren’t they supposed to be cutting salary? Solid year, not bad for the money.
Cincinnati ~ are interested in Jerry Hairston Jr., Rocco Baldelli, and Willy Tavares. I like Baldelli best out of the group. He has the most upside of the three. Especially since his health issues are treatable.
Bobby Crosby ~ was placed on outright waivers by the A’s. Who’s going to play shortstop?
Mets ~ looking to acquire 2 of Derek Lowe, Oliver Perez, or Randy Wolf. Order is by preference.
Lowe is obviously the best pitcher of the 3. Perez has the most left in the tank, Wolf has the least value.
Randy Wolf ~ is seeking 3 years and $30MM. Not worth it to me.
Randy Johnson ~ has received several offers. The Dodgers are expected to place an offer while the Cubs were rumored to be interested if they didn’t land Jake Peavy. I think he lands with the Dodgers or stays with Arizona.
New York Yankees ~ could be avoiding signing Ben Sheets. Smart? Maybe. We will see.
Cheers,
~Ben
Now What?
If by some strange reason you have yet to hear, A.J. Burnett signed with the New York Yankees .The deal is 5 years and worth $82.5MM.
That is fine and dandy for the Yankees, but what do the Braves do now?
At this point I think they need to go after Jon Garland and Ian Snell. The only problem in acquiring Snell is what the Pirates would ask in return. I have heard a lot of teams have walked away from them because of their steep asking prices.
If the Padres come crawling back with the Jake Peavy deal I think the Braves need to make it clear that Yunel Escobar is off the table. They did not earn him in the last negotiations. In the previous deal San Diego had asked for 2 major league ready pitchers and 1 major league ready center fielder. The Braves offered Yunel Escobar, Gorkys Hernandez, Blaine Boyer, Charlie Morton, and Jeff Locke. That is a potentially great shortstop, a major league ready center fielder, 2 major league ready pitchers and a future starter. More than they asked for and they said no. They don’t deserve Escobar this time around.
If the Padres do come back and accept the fact they won’t get Escobar I believe the Braves have no other choice but to get the deal done. They don’t have many other options at this point in time. Next is the left field situation. I have the solution…Pat Burrell. Before you snap, key point, 1 or 2 year deal. No long term situation. Continue to read and hear me out.
The Braves have a player named Jason Heyward. He is extremely good and is only 18. He is expected to hit the majors by 2010. If this is the case why find a long term fix now? You don’t. Atlanta can sign Pat Burrell to a 1 year deal with a team option for a second. This is in case Heyward slows in his development which is likely. Burrell is a right handed power bat which the Braves are searching for. He would slip into the 4 spot in the lineup between Chipper Jones and Brian McCann when a right handed pitcher is starting. When a lefty comes in he would slip back to the 5 spot and McCann would bat 4th.
Having a right handed bat play left field allows the Braves to stagger their lineup, as in right, left, right, left. This makes the other team think more about bringing in a specialist from the bullpen in a late game situation. This would be a great strength for the Braves. Burrell could also come at maybe $8MM or $10MM per year. This is a bargain for the statistics he is capable of putting up. Thank you bad economy.
The reason I chose signing Pat Burrell over trading for Ryan Ludwick is the simple fact that Ludwick is unproven. He had one really good year. Burrell has had several. Burrell has shown he can produce year after year.
I still don’t love Burrell because he strikes out more than I would like, but hey, you have to make sacrifices. It would also be a short term contract so if he is horrible for one year the team can decline his option, making him a free agent. No more Burrell. This gives the Braves the bat they want and serves as a short term guy to hold left field before Jason Heyward can take over. Let me know what you guys think.
Over and out,
~Ben
AHH! That’s Hot!
Hot Stove talk from around the MLB.
A.J. Burnett – Burnett has been offered a deal from the Atlanta Braves. It is supposed to be worth about $15MM per year. Frank Wren says it doesn’t include a guaranteed 5th year but would most likely have an option for one. Wren will push Burnett to sign before C.C. Sabathia. If Sabathia doesn’t land with the Yankees they will most certainly turn to Burnett.
Jack Wilson – Wilson has been involved in trade talks with several teams. The newest is the Los Angeles Dodgers. L.A. is looking for a replacement for Rafael Furcal who will be leaving via free agency. The Detroit Tigers have also been involved with their search for a replacement for Edgar Renteria. I see the Dodgers making the trade as they can eat some of Wilson’s contract. They may not like it but they are more likely at this point.
Edgar Renteria – Renteria has signed a 2-year contract with the San Francisco Giants. I don’t really understand this trade as the Giants are old and Renteria is old. Not a good choice in my opinion.
Derek Lowe – Lowe has drawn interest from a handful of teams. One team could possibly be the World Champion Phillies. The Yankees and Red Sox are also expected to make offers to Lowe. The Red Sox I believe are the favorites at this point as both sides have mutual interest and Lowe has a desire to return to Boston.
Khalil Greene – Earlier today Greene was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals. Greene was traded in the Padres‘ attempt to dump salary. The departure of Greene could increase the chances that Jake Peavy can stay. Greene is coming off a very disappointing season in which he hit just above .200 with 10 home runs and 35 RBI.
Jake Peavy – The Chicago Cubs are apparently still in talks with the Padres for a deal involving Jake Peavy. The Cubs have tried to bring in a third team that would supply them with the prospects required to land Peavy. Almost all of the reports have come out of San Diego and not Chicago. This means that Padres GM Kevin Towers could in fact be exaggerating the progress of the trade. From a prospect standpoint the Braves put the best deal on the table but pulled out of the running. This could be Towers’ attempt to lure the Braves back.
Adam Dunn – Dunn was not offered arbitration which makes him a free agent. Dunn has not drawn much interest outside of the Washington Nationals. The Nationals can put out a competitive offer but it is unlikely Dunn would accept. The deal would most likely be in the $15MM per year range. The Nationals would be bringing in a big piece that wouldn’t be surrounded by much so it doesn’t make much sense on Dunn’s part. The Nationals have also asked about Zack Greinke from the Royals but don’t have the prospects to land him.
Later,
~Ben
Finally Getting Something Done
Well, it looks like the Braves finally made a move. This would send Javier Vazquez and Boone Logan to the Braves in exchange for Tyler Flowers, Brent Lillibridge, Jon Gilmore, and Santos Rodriguez. The White Sox are getting a little more than they should in my opinion. Am I liking this trade? Yea. Am I loving it? No.
The Braves also get Boone Logan who was less than spectacular last year. This was the first time I have even heard his name since I don’t play close attention to the White Sox, but I have a strong grasp of the game’s above average players. I don’t feel he should be included in that group of players. What he does provide is a fresh arm to a bullpen that was worn out last year. He is just a fresh face that may be a diamond in the rough, who knows?
On the White Sox side of the deal they got some nice pieces. Not great, but nice. Tyler Flowers is the centerpiece of the deal for Chicago. Before all the Flowers faithful go haywire, let’s calm down and face reality. Flowers did great in the AFL, which was a hitters league. He should be crushing the ball to be honest.
He is a catcher that can crush the ball. Wait, the Braves have that Brian McCann guy already. I’d say he is pretty good. Can Flowers move to first base? No. Casey Kotchman is better than he played and if that doesn’t work out Freddie Freeman is a better overall prospect and already plays first base. Flowers is just in a bad situation. It happens to a lot of good players. He will get over it and you guys should too.
Brent Lillibridge is a great trade since he is not major league ready. If the Braves trade Yunel Escobar there is no doubt in my mind that Lillibridge would not be able to step in and perform at the highest level. The kid has a great glove but he just can’t hit. If he can fix that then he will turn into a nice piece for the White Sox. Until then, good luck guys.
Jon Gilmore is one of those third basemen that is supposedly capable of replacing Chipper Jones. I have been hearing his name for a few years now and haven’t seen anything spectacular. Santos Rodriguez is a nice pick up for Chicago. He pitched well in both of the past two years but is still a long ways away from hitting Chicago.
In all this was a good trade for both Atlanta and Chicago. Don’t worry about not having the prospects to get Peavy now because I doubt any of those would have been included anyway. This could in fact get Towers to come crawling back because he feels the Braves have moved on without him. It is just a matter of time before Towers comes back. Just a matter of time.
The only thing that disappoints me is that Jermaine Dye was not included in the trade. This could of possibly killed two birds with one stone in getting a starter and a power hitting outfielder. But oh well, Rome wasn’t built in a day and the Braves won’t be fixed in a day.
Cheers,
~Ben
MVP and the Heisman Trophy
I have pretty much given up all hope for Ben Roethlisberger
winning the NFL MVP. He started out great, then just tailed off after
that Philadelphia game. It isn’t really all his fault as it is pretty
hard to throw from your back. He has been sacked 33 times already this
year. That is unacceptable.
The offensive line as not played
the way they should and they all know it. There is all the talk about
them having to “gel” together but I’m not buying it. It comes down to
the fact that they are getting beat by the D-line every Sunday for most
of the game. The offensive line should be the first need addressed in
the upcoming NFL draft.
Speaking of the NFL draft. Looks
like we may have quite the group of quarterbacks. You have 3 Heisman
candidates in the Big 12 alone. Colt McCoy, Graham Harrell, and Sam Bradford
are all good picks. But who will win? My pick at this point is Sam
Bradford. Check out his stats, they are ridiculous. McCoy does have a
big advantage in the completion percentage but I will address that
next.
Everyone
goes crazy about McCoy’s amazing completion percentage. It is great and
all but he is only throwing 5-10 yard passes. He dumps the ball off
over the middle and his receivers run. Every once in a while he takes a
shot down field but not often. If Bradford and Harrell took those short
passes they would be just as good if not better.
Graham
Harrell is by far the best “passer” of the three. While McCoy is the
best runner and Bradford has the best combination of both. So this year
Bradford is going to walk away with the hardware.
So, has anyone been watching that whole Big 12 Championship debacle? Oklahoma got the bid to go in and smash Missouri in the championship. I am by no means a Texas
fan, but they got screwed. Oklahoma got the bid despite Texas beating
them straight up on a neutral site. Doesn’t make any sense to me. Sure,
Oklahoma smashed Texas Tech
but lost to Texas which is what really counts. I also think it is
hilarious that Mike Leach thinks the bid should go to the school with
the highest graduation rate in the conference (Texas Tech is 1, with
Texas at 11 and Oklahoma at 12). Nice try Mike, but it ain’t happening.
I suppose I could get back to baseball. It is so hard sense not
much has been happening. I know the winter meetings are coming up but
there is just so much excitement around football. I’m still waiting
around for Kevin Towers to come crawling back with Jake Peavy. I still believe that Yunel Escobar, Charlie Morton, Gorkys Hernandez, Blaine Boyer, and Jeff Locke is more than enough. It fills every need the Padres have and it is just pure greed on Towers’ part.
Escobar, Morton, and Hernandez were all hand picked by the Padres.
Escobar is a young superstar in the making that has tremendous talent.
Boyer is a major league ready reliever who just had to much on his
plate last year. He is also pretty young. Locke is a young pitcher who
has great potential. The Padres are getting the best of the deal here
so I don’t know why they haven’t done anything. To be honest it is just
plain stupidity on their part.
Will A.J. Burnett sign with the Braves?
If they trade for Peavy then yes. If they don’t then it seems unlikely.
Adding Peavy would give Burnett added motivation to come to Atlanta. He
wouldn’t even have to be the ace if he didn’t want to. A Peavy,
Burnett, Jurrjens, then later Hudson rotation would be dominant. Maybe
the best in baseball.
If the Braves trade Escobar then I see them turning around and instantly signing Rafael Furcal.
He wants to come back to Atlanta so welcome him with open arms. It
would also give them a lead off hitter with speed that the Braves have
lacked since Furcal left. It just makes sense. If the Braves don’t sign
Burnett and trade for Peavy I see them going hard for Jermaine Dye and Javier Vazquez. Dye would provide the power bat in the outfield while Vazquez would be a veteran, middle of the rotation pitcher.
If all else fails I would think Atlanta would turn to signing Jon Garland or Ben Sheets.
Garland would just plain eat innings while Sheets could end up being an
ace type pitcher. Garland doesn’t have great stats but he eats up
innings and keeps his team in the game. Ben Sheets can be lights out or
he can be on the bench with an injury. Sheets can either be a big game
pitcher or a monster bust. I’m afraid to find out.
Over and out,
~Ben
Busy Times
It sure is a busy time in the sporting world. It is crunch time for several of my favorite teams this week. This is a time to give shout outs to the other sports besides baseball. I think it is appropriate anyway since none of the teams are doing anything in the MLB anyway.
This week my Pittsburgh Steelers will be taking on the New England Patriots. Usually this would be an amazing game, Tom Brady vs. Ben Roethlisberger. New England’s offense going up against Pittsburgh’s defense. That would be a great game. But as we all know Mr. Brady hurt his little knee and is out of the season so Matt Cassel has to step up against the #1 defense in the league. Pittsburgh is #1 in the NFL in passing defense, rushing defense, and total defense. Yes, the Triple Crown in defense. It is going to be hard for Cassel to throw to Randy Moss from his back.
As for my Penn State Nittany Lions, they are already in the Rose Bowl. They smashed Michigan St. to end the season and get the Rose Bowl bid. Now all that has to be decided is who they play. The winner of the Pac-10 plays the winner of the Big Ten in the Rose Bowl. So, it is either Oregon St. or USC. If you happen to be a Penn State fan you are already aware that Penn State embarrassed Oregon St. already this year. I don’t want to watch that again. So I have actually found myself rooting for USC. Although it isn’t like they need my help against Notre Dame. What I do need to root for is for Oregon to beat Oregon St. That would make USC the Pac-10 champion and give them a bid to the Rose Bowl.
Never thought I would say this but, GO DUCKS!
Basically it comes down to the fact that I would rather see Penn State play USC and possibly get beat then beat down or even lose to Oregon St. I think it would just be a flat out better game. I have been wanting to see Penn State play USC for a while now anyway. There is no doubt in my mind that USC will easily embarrass Notre Dame, having Oregon upset Oregon St. is what the challenge will be. But, you never know, anything can happen. Any team can beat any other team on any given day. That is just the way it is.
Any college basketball fans out there? If so I take it you watched the Maui Invitational. All I have to say is damn, UNC is good. Hansbrough isn’t even healthy yet and he is still yammin on people. That kid is ridiculous.
He is going to win Player of the Year again. I am still a little shocked that scouts said he would be a late first round pick in the NBA draft last year. Are you kidding me? He is the freakin NCAA Player of the Year and he is a late first round pick? Doesn’t make much sense to me.
The rest of his team does need props though. Danny Green can knock down a 3 from anywhere over anyone. He is just obnoxiously athletic. Ty Lawson is ridiculously fast. He was running past Notre Dame defenders that were already down court.
As for the Atlanta Braves, they have still done absolutely nothing. They have so much money and are clearly waiting around for San Diego to come back. It is disappointing that there was so much hype for the off season and a whole bunch of nothing has happened. Oh well.
Till next time,
~Ben
Bravos Stayin’ Idle
Not much movement around Atlanta these days. It’s a little disappointing to be honest. Atlanta has so much money but they have yet to make a move.
In all honesty I think they are still waiting on Peavy. It really does make sense. If Atlanta wasn’t waiting around to pull the trigger on Peavy why wouldn’t they deal Yunel Escobar or Kelly Johnson somewhere else? I have heard Ryan Ludwick could have been acquired some time ago. Why didn’t they do it yet?
Kelly Johnson has supposedly been asked about by several teams, why hasn’t he been moved? If Martin Prado is supposed to be a strong replacement there is no reason why Johnson shouldn’t have been traded by now.
The Braves have Rafael Furcal waiting in the wings for them. Therefore Escobar is expendable. Tons of teams would give up solid players in exchange for Escobar. Atlanta knows it will take Escobar to get Peavy, so they haven’t made any moves yet. I think it is extremely obvious that the Braves want Peavy bad, but don’t want to come out and say it. They will give up less by playing hard to get and having the Padres come crawling back.
The word on the net is that the Braves are in the final five teams for A.J. Burnett. Cool, I guess. Don’t get me wrong, Burnett is a solid player but five years is a long time for someone who has been injury prone. Should they do it? My answer is they kinda have to. Atlanta doesn’t really have any other choice. Without him or Peavy they won’t win next year. I say this because I don’t think Derek Lowe is an option. He wants to go back to Boston, its that simple.
Besides the usual Peavy and Burnett discussions there has been some Jermaine Dye talk recently. I think he is a decent fit. He hits for power but doesn’t sacrifice much in batting average. Last year Dye hit .292 with 34 home runs. The only thing I don’t like is his age. That is the downfall with the Magglio Ordonez idea that was thrown around earlier this off season. I think Dye has a little more power but isn’t the contact hitter that Ordonez is. If I had to chose right now I would pick Dye as I believe he is cheaper and has been a little more durable.
If I had my way the Padres would cave in and trade Peavy to the Braves. Atlanta could turn around and sign Furcal and Burnett. Getting Dye should be on the back burner at this point because pitching wins championships. I also think Francoeur will bounce back. He wasn’t any happier about last season as we were and wants to get back on track. I have faith that he can step up.
A power hitting outfielder is nice but wouldn’t be as necessary if Francoeur can put the power numbers we all know he is capable of. I have also read about Ryan Ludwick. I’m not to fond of that idea since he kinda jumped out of nowhere. Remember Morgan Ensberg? He exploded a few years ago and imploded soon after. That could be the case with Ludwick. Or dare I say he was on the juice? I don’t really think so but his numbers are a little suspicious. His home run count jumped from 14 to 37 in one year. Oh well, we will have to keep waiting and wishing, hoping the Braves do something productive so we can all talk about it.
Till next time,
~Ben
Peavy coming to Atlanta?
It looks like the Braves are getting closer and closer to trading for
Jake Peavy. They have made a strong offer that includes Yunel Escobar,
Charlie Morton and Jordan Schafer. San Diego still wants Tommy Hanson,
but that ain’t happening.
Peavy
still seems a little iffy about coming to Atlanta. He seems reluctant
because Atlanta would most likely have to give up Yunel Escobar in the
deal. Could Atlanta still compete with the Mets and Phillies without
Escobar? Well, I think so. Escobar has the potential to be a great
player, but so far it is just potential. If the Braves send Escobar to
San Diego, I think they are more than capable of trading for a
shortstop. J.J. Hardy I believe would be a great addition. He hit .283
with 24 home runs and 74 RBIs last year. He doesn’t steal bases but
neither did Escobar. I think it could in a way be an upgrade. So don’t
fret Braves fans.
The next piece is Charlie Morton. I
actually think this is a big blow for Atlanta. Morton pitched hurt for
all but 2 starts last year. In his first start he went 6 innings and
gave up 3 runs. In his second he went 5 innings and gave up 3 runs.
Those aren’t bad for someone who had only been at AAA for a few games
and was prematurely throw in the fire that is the MLB. The rest of the
year he struggled in almost every game. Ok people, Charlie Morton is a
power pitcher. He was only throwing 92-93 because he had some form of
side or rib injury. Morton is supposed to be able to throw in the mid
90’s. He wasn’t able to work off of his power fastball which is not his
game. He struggled because he couldn’t pitch the way he was used to. If
he stays I predict him to one day be the number 3 pitcher in the
rotation, behind Jair Jurrjens and Tommy Hanson.
The
final piece of the deal could be Jordan Schafer. I have heard a lot of
talk along the lines of “get that cheater outta here, we don’t want
cheaters and neither does Bobby Cox.” Wrong, get your facts straight
before condemning someone for something they “may” have done. Schafer
was suspended for “suspicion.” There was no positive test. He was
suspected of use and then bam, 50 game suspension. And yes, players
have been suspended for suspicion. By the way, everyone seems to love
Tyler Flowers. He TESTED positive for HGH. Why doens’t anyone talk
about that. Learn the story before saying hateful things about players.
You will look like an idiot.
Schafer may not even be included
in the trade as the Padres interest in him is “lukewarm.” He could be
replaced with another center fielder Gorkys Hernandez. Hernandez has
more speed than Schafer but doesn’t have the possibility of being a five
tool player like Schafer does. Overall, I would take Schafer over
Hernandez. We will have to see what happens.
The rumor about
Kelly Johnson being traded for Ryan Ludwick isn’t looking so hot
anymore. Ludwick has been linked to the Rockies in a trade for Matt
Holliday. Sorry guys, if I could trade Ludwick for Holliday or Johnson,
I would take Holliday. That is just an easy decision. All of these
rumors I assume is taking a toll on Atlanta fans. The Braves have not
made a big free agent move since signing Maddux and this has become
very frustrating. Maybe getting Peavy would help motivate free agents
so sign.
Hardball 